The present invention relates to a printing system and method for printing documents and forms as needed by the user of such documents and forms and, more particularly, to such a printing system and method in which the user interface by which user-entered commands are supplied to the system is simplified and improved.
Numerous standard documents and business forms are used by almost every business or other organization of any size in carrying out its routine activities. Generally speaking, such documents and forms are used to disseminate, collect and manage information on a number of subjects. For example, a business typically will use a variety of forms for employee insurance programs. Claim forms are usually required for each type of insurance (e.g., medical insurance, dental insurance, eyeglasses insurance, etc.), as well as insurance enrollment forms, and insurance plan description documents. Commonly, a large number of different documents and forms will be used and must be dispensed at a single location. In order to do this, supplies of the documents and forms must be ordered in advance based on estimated usage, and periodically inventoried at the location. This, in turn, requires planning and maintenance of inventories, a costly and time consuming activity. Commonly, inventories of forms will run low from time to time, especially when form usage is unexpectedly high, sometimes resulting in restricting or delaying whatever activities are associated with the forms in question. This shortage of particular forms can be avoided, for the most part, by stocking an excessively large number of documents and forms, a great many more documents and forms than can reasonably be anticipated to be used. This approach has the disadvantage, however, of requiring more storage space than is preferable, while also resulting in an excessive number of forms being left over and discarded whenever the documents and forms are changed in design or content.
It is seen, therefore, that there is a need for a printing system for printing documents and forms, as needed, in response to user-entered commands; for such a printing system for printing documents and forms, as needed, in response to user entered commands in which the documents and forms are stored in a variety of computer formats and in which the native applications in which the documents and forms were created are not stored; for a method of operating such a system, in which copies of any of a large number of different documents and business forms are stored in a variety of computer formats and may be printed at a single location without the native application in which the documents and business forms were created; and for a method of operating such a system in which the system is specifically configured for users having no computer or printer training.
These needs are met by a printing system for printing documents and forms, as needed, in response to user-entered commands, constructed according to the present invention. The printing system includes a touch screen monitor for displaying information regarding the-documents and forms, and user options, and for entry of commands by the user, and a memory for storing a plurality of documents and forms. The documents and forms are organized into a plurality of libraries. The memory stores software to control the display of options on the monitor and the interpretation and implementation of commands entered on the monitor. The printing system further includes a printer for printing documents and forms, and a processor, responsive to the monitor and the memory and communicating therewith. The processor is connected to the printer to control printing of a document or form by the printer upon selection thereof by a user and entry of commands via the touch screen monitor.
The software causes the monitor initially to display a listing of libraries and, upon user selection of a library, then causes the monitor to display a listing of the documents and forms included in the selected library. The software may cause a document or form to be printed by the printer upon user selection of the document or form from the listing of documents and forms displayed on the monitor. The software may also cause the monitor to display a listing of one or more kits of documents and forms that are included in the selected library, as well. A kit is a collection of documents and forms that are typically used together. By including documents and forms together in this fashion and permitting the kit of documents to be printed at the same time, the document selection process is simplified and needed documents are not inadvertently omitted.
The software may cause a listing of the individual documents and forms making up a kit to be displayed on the monitor upon user selection of the kit of documents and forms. The software may then cause the documents and forms making up the kit to be printed by the printer upon user confirmation.
The software may cause a document or form to be displayed on the monitor upon user selection of the document or form from the listing of documents and forms displayed on the monitor. The software may cause the document displayed on the monitor to be enlarged or cause the portion of the document displayed to be changed upon entry of a user-entered command.
The printing system may further comprise a communication link connected to the processor. The communication link permits information regarding printing activity to be transmitted to a remote location and, additionally, permits data defining the images of documents and forms to be transmitted from a remote location to the printing system for storage in the memory. The memory may include a disk drive to permit data defining the images of documents and forms to be supplied to the memory by means of a disk inserted in the disk drive.
The printing system for printing documents and forms, as needed, in response to user-entered commands, includes software in which a screen is caused to be displayed on the monitor for selection of the number of copies of a document or form to be printed after user selection of the document or form from the listing of documents and forms displayed on the monitor. The software counts the number of documents and forms printed by said printer, and limits printing to a predetermined number of documents and forms until authorized to print additional documents and forms.
In a printing system including a touch screen monitor, a processor, a memory, and a printer, the method of printing documents and forms, comprising the steps of: displaying on the monitor a listing of a plurality of libraries of documents and forms stored in the memory and available for printing, sensing user selection of one of the libraries, displaying on the monitor a listing of documents and forms in the selected library, sensing user selection of one of the documents and forms in the selected library, and printing the selected document or form on the printer. The step of displaying on the monitor a listing of documents and forms may include the step of displaying on the monitor a listing of documents and forms and one or more kits of documents and forms, as well.
The method of printing documents and forms further includes the steps of sensing user selection of one of the kits, and printing the selected kit on the printer. The step of printing the selected document or form on the printer includes the steps of: displaying on the monitor a listing of options in response to sensing user selection of one of the documents and forms in the selected library, the options including viewing the selected document or form, and printing the selected document or form. The selection of one of the options by the user is then sensed, and the option selected by the user is then performed. The step of performing the option selected by the user may include the steps of: displaying on the monitor the number of copies to be printed in response to the selection by the user of the option of printing the selected document or form, sensing user selection of the number of copies to be printed, and printing the selected number of copies of the selected document or form.
A printing system for printing documents and forms, as needed, in response to user-entered commands, comprises a user interface for entry of commands by a user, a monitor for displaying information regarding the documents and forms, and user options, and a memory for storing a plurality of documents and forms in various computer formats. The documents and forms are created in a plurality of native applications. The memory further stores software to control the display of options on the monitor and the interpretation and implementation of commands entered on the interface, and software to control the display and printing of the documents and forms without the native applications in which the documents and forms were created. The system further includes a printer for printing documents and forms, and a processor, responsive to the interface, and the memory and communicating therewith. The processor is connected to the printer to control printing of a document or form by the printer upon selection thereof by a user and entry of commands via the interface. The processor is connected to the monitor to control display of a document or form by the monitor upon selection thereof by a user and entry of commands via the interface.
The software performs the following functions:
a). causes the monitor initially to display a listing of libraries and, upon user selection of a library, then causes the monitor to display a listing of the documents and forms included in the selected library.
b). causes the monitor initially to display a listing of libraries and, upon user selection of a library, then causes the monitor to display a listing of the documents and forms included in the selected library and of one or more kits of documents and forms included in the selected library.
c). causes a listing of the documents and forms making up a kit to be displayed on the monitor upon user selection of the kit of documents and forms.
d). causes the documents and forms making up a kit to be printed by the printer upon user selection of the kit of documents and forms from the listing displayed on the monitor.
e). causes a document or form to be printed by the printer upon user selection of the document or form from the listing of documents and forms displayed on the monitor.
f). causes a screen to be displayed on the monitor for selection of the number of copies of a document or form to be printed upon user selection of the document or form from the listing of documents and forms displayed on the monitor.
g). causes a document or form to be displayed on the monitor upon user selection of the document or form from the listing of documents and forms displayed on the monitor.
h). causes the document displayed on the monitor to be enlarged or causes the portion of the document displayed to be changed upon entry of a user-entered command.
i). counts the number of documents and forms printed by the printer, limiting printing to a predetermined number of documents and forms until authorized to print additional documents and forms.
The system further comprises a communication link connected to the processor to permit information regarding printing activity to be transmitted to a remote location, and a communication link connected to the processor to permit documents and forms to be transmitted from a remote location to the printing system for storage in the memory.
The memory includes a disk drive to permit documents and forms to be supplied to the memory on a disk inserted in the disk drive.
The monitor for displaying information regarding the documents and forms, and user options, comprises a touch screen monitor. The user interface for entry of commands by a user comprises one or more screens displayed on the monitor.